Mary
Kay Letourneau -- "Mary didn't take away my childhood.
I gave it away by consent. I knew what I was getting into.
She knew what we were getting into. I don't feel one bit
in my whole entire body that she ever raped me. I don't love
her because she's 30 years old and she doesn't love me because
I'm 15 years old. We love each other for who we are. "Do
I plan to marry her? Yes, I plan to marry her. She's my world,
she's my life, and they all know that I have her ring on
still, and it's never going to change."

WA
teacher convicted of sexually exploiting minors -- A high
school teacher was convicted of 10 counts of sexually exploiting
minors. Dennis Peterson, 50, persuaded several teenage girl students
at the Sequim Community School to pose nude for photographs he
then, in one case, sent to an Internet Web site. Peterson was
convicted after a 5 day trial. He faces up to 190 years in prison
when sentenced by US District Judge Franklin Burgess in Tacoma,
WA on March 15, 2002.

An investigation
found more than 60 instances in the last 4 years of Texas high
school and middle school coaches losing jobs as a result of allegations
of sexual
misconduct involving students or other minors.

Out
of Bounds: We trust our kids to them every day. But an investigation
reveals the relationship between secondary school coaches and
students is rife with abuse.

Sex
abuse plagues schools for the deaf nationwide -- Rumors of
rapes and molestation on campus have been circulating for years
among parents of students at the 115-year-old Washington State
School for the Deaf in Vancouver, WA. An investigation identified
dozens of child rape victims over the past 50 years and raised
serious concerns about the residential school's failure to protect
children. RED SPRINGS, NC -- The two little boys tried to signal
their silent pain, but employees at the Eastern North Carolina
School for the Deaf persuaded both mothers to ignore their fears.
SALEM, OR -- First, he won their trust and offered solace to lonely
teens. Then, two former students claim, the administrator at the
Oregon School for the Deaf demanded sex in return.

Principal
Charged With Ignoring Possible Child Abuse
-- A San Jose, Calif., principal, Corazon Rodil, at Anne Darling
Elementary School has been charged with a misdemeanor for not
telling authorities about a teacher at her school who was suspected
of molesting students.

Ex-Teacher,
Ex-Student Now Together--
Judge Janice Niemi lifted the no contact order against Mark Blilie
getting in touch with Toni Pala. Blilie, 45, is the former teacher
at Kirkland Junior High School who who was convicted of having
a sexual affair with Pala then a 14-year-old student.

A
Social Commentary -- People fall in love. It's beyond the
mind. That's what makes "Romeo and Juliet" a great play. Here,
our Calvinist society thinks it has a shaping role to play in
what otherwise could be a chapter in an anthology of great love
affairs. How odd this romance is to the rest of us.

Edward Fischer
--Admitted to having victimized
at least 39 boys during his 40-year teaching career, a judge
sentenced former teacher Edward Fischer to 20 years in prison
in connection with 13 sexual-abuse charges. Mr. Fischer admitted
to having victimizing at least 39 boys, including more than 20
from Porter-Gaud, during his 40-year teaching career. Mr. Fischer
worked as a physical science teacher and athletics adviser from
1972 to 1982. After that, he worked for other private schools
and a public high school in Charleston.

Beth
Friedman 42, -- Faced up to 76 years in prison for having
a sexual relationship with her 15-year-old student, Donald
Vaden. The Hollywood, FL woman is accused of using sex, drugs
and cash to keep Vaden in the relationship even though he
was a minor at the time. Acquitted of
all except a misdemeanor charge on 12-21-01